What if - they talked at the Netherfield ball
by LoriH
Summary: In Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth is angry at Mr. Darcy for his supposed treatment of Mr. Wickham, and he in turn feels that he cannot confide in her because of his pride in his family. What if he felt honor bound to tell her the truth at the ball? Would they come to an understanding faster? This is a preview of the book.
1. Preface

**I do not own Pride and Prejudice. Jane Austen does own it and she did a marvelous job. I have used her characters and some of her text. This story is the result.**

What if Mr. Darcy told Elizabeth about Wickham's misdeeds after the dance at Netherfield?

This story starts at the beginning of Ch. 18 of Jane Austen's _Pride and Prejudice_, when the Bennets arrive at the Netherfield ball.


	2. The Fateful Dance

Chapter 1: The Fateful Dance

Elizabeth entered the drawing-room at Netherfield and looked in vain for Mr. Wickham among the cluster of red coats assembled. Until then, a doubt of his being present had never occurred to her. Indeed, she had been assured by the gentleman himself that it was not for him to be driven away, and if Mr. Darcy wished to avoid him, then Mr. Darcy would need to go. She began the night by looking around the room while waiting to be welcomed by Mr. Bingley and his sisters. Her anticipation was thwarted minutes later when Lydia pronounced that Mr. Wickham was in London. Elizabeth's anger at Mr. Darcy for prompting Mr. Wickham's avoiding the ball prevented her from noticing Mr. Collins' approach for her hand for the first set. She sighed in resignation to her fate but took comfort as she watched Mr. Bingley escorting Jane to the head of the line. Elizabeth would be able to bear the mortification of dancing with Mr. Collins with the knowledge of Jane's being so happily situated.

As the dance progressed, Jane was very pleased with the evening, until she witnessed Mr. Collins step on Elizabeth's foot as he turned the wrong way down the set. Attempting to hide her pain, Elizabeth looked away from her partner and noticed Mr. Darcy watching the exchange with his usual hauteur. While waiting for her turn to move again, she glared back at him with her arched brows to show she was not afraid of him. He attempted to look away, but she noticed the corners of his lips turned slightly upward. Mr. Bingley, oblivious to the exchange, smiled at Jane, which caused Jane to return the smile and momentarily forget the predicament Elizabeth was in.

The dance ended without further mishaps other than a few more wrong turns on Mr. Collins' part. Mr. Collins escorted Elizabeth to her friend Miss Lucas, with a promise to return with refreshments. They conversed easily until Mr. Darcy suddenly appeared to ask for the next dance. Caught off guard, Elizabeth could only reply in the affirmative. He bowed and took his leave until it was time to stand up with her. Miss Lucas warmly congratulated her friend on her triumph in capturing the attention of the stoic Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth brushed aside her friend's barbs and nervously waited for the next dance, not knowing how to understand the turn of events. Her anger began to peak again as she inevitably thought of the wrongs imposed on Mr. Wickham by Mr. Darcy.

As the current song ended, Mr. Darcy approached Elizabeth once again, this time to claim her hand. He led her to the front of the line and waited for the music to begin. She did not have to look around the room to realize that many eyes were on her, wondering why Mr. Darcy would suddenly want to dance with someone he thought only "tolerable." As the music started, they began to move through the set in silence. Thinking that conversation was more annoying to Mr. Darcy than silence, she began speaking trivial nonsense to garner a response from him. After she remarked on the size of the room and the number of couples, silence again threatened to consume them as she thought of another approach to force him to talk. To her surprise, he was the first to break the silence. "Do you talk by rule then, while dancing?"

"One must speak a little, you know. Yet, some may prefer to arrange conversation so that they may have the ability to say as little as possible."

"Are you consulting your own feelings, or do you seek to gratify mine?"

"Both," she replied. "We are both of a taciturn disposition and do not wish to speak unless we have something to say that will stun the whole room."

"You have a gift for expressing opinions which are not your own. Certainly, this is not a portrait of your character, but I will not attempt to compare it to my own."

Elizabeth, worried that her teasing may have gone too far, watched his expression as he moved through the dance. For three turns, neither spoke. Elizabeth was too distraught at herself for displaying her anger toward Mr. Darcy so early in the dance. Suddenly, Mr. Darcy attempted a new line of conversation by asking if Elizabeth often walked to Meryton. Realizing the change of topic, Elizabeth took it as a sign that she had not offended Mr. Darcy and chose to respond lightly. "As often as possible. It is a great way to make new acquaintances." After a pause, she continued. "We had just met a new acquaintance when you met us the other day."

Mr. Darcy, shocked, nearly forgot about the dance as he rounded on her to gauge her expression. Realizing there was no malice in her expression, he replied, "Mr. Wickham has an easy disposition; he is sure of making new friends. Whether he is equally capable of retaining them is less certain."

Shocked by his admittance of his misdeeds, she pertly responded, "He is unfortunate to have lost your friendship, and, I daresay, that is an irreversible event."

In anger, Mr. Darcy replied in the affirmative and, not realizing his anger, added, "What lies has he told you?"

Elizabeth could not be more shocked. She faltered in the next turn, but she managed to catch her step and regain her balance. Working to formulate a reply, she hastily went through the next movement to bring her back to him. When they came together again, he must have sensed the danger of releasing their anger in the middle of the dance floor and moved to postpone their argument.

"It appears to me that you have heard only one version of the story. As one of the parties involved, you must assume that I would have my own version to relate. Knowing your intelligence, I can imagine you would reserve judgment until you had all the particulars. If you can meet me on the balcony, I will answer your questions."

Just then, the dance ended, and the couples bowed and curtseyed. The other couples began to walk away, but Elizabeth simply stared at Mr. Darcy, feeling as though she were only just seeing him for the first time. There was a strange look in his eyes. Could he have been hurt by her accusations? She curtseyed, forgetting she had already done so, and took his arm as he escorted her off the floor. As he began to walk away, she remembered his offer. "Thank you!" She replied to his retreating back. He turned and bowed to her before walking out the patio doors.

Elizabeth knew that she could not immediately follow Mr. Darcy for reasons of propriety, but her curiosity made her unwilling to wait too long. She had never considered that Mr. Wickham could have said anything but the truth. Had she been too eager to believe him? Mr. Darcy spoke of her intelligence, but he knew she rushed into judgment, in this instance, at least. What would Mr. Darcy have to say? Was it as Charlotte had implied? Was he partial to her? It could not be, as he said she was only tolerable, and she knew he never looked at her except to see a blemish. Perhaps he was concerned for the village of Meryton and wanted to warn the villagers through her. But why would proud and arrogant Mr. Darcy be concerned with the villagers?

In her musings, Elizabeth realized that a quarter of an hour had passed since Mr. Darcy walked outside. When she observed no one watching her, she quietly slipped out through a side door. It took her a moment to adjust to the dark patio. Then, she saw him leaning against a railing on the far side, looking out with a very confusing expression on his face. The shaking of his right heel indicated that he was agitated.


	3. The Talk

Chapter 2: The Talk

Mr. Darcy opened the doors to the terrace with a flourish and walked as quickly as he could over to the other side so that he could look out into the gardens. The cool air helped calm his temper. _Wickham_! He had only realized his feelings for Elizabeth were more than a passing fancy yesterday, and _he_ had to pollute her mind to him. Everywhere he went, Wickham was right there, tormenting him.

Would he know no happiness? Could he really find happiness with Elizabeth? With her, yes, that was easy. With her family? Her connections? Her fortune? Money issues were no matter to him. The prestige of the Darcy name and the wealth of Pemberley and its investments meant that he did not necessarily have to marry for money. His parents taught him about finding a loving wife, and he meant to do so. But would her connections taint his name and make it harder for Georgiana? She has already had a trying experience. Would his disgrace for marrying below his station make it even harder for her coming out next year? Not four months ago, Wickham had snatched her innocence away from her by convincing her to love him, and she had nearly eloped with him. True, he had rescued her before any harm came to her reputation, but she was changed. She lost her ability to trust people, except her brother, who became her closest confidant.

_Could Wickham do something similar with Elizabeth?_ How much should he tell her? Surely, she does not need to know about Georgiana's situation. Besides, that was not his tale to tell. But what if she does not believe his other stories about Wickham?

His musings were interrupted by the appearance of Elizabeth. He was so lost in thought that he did not hear her come out, until she was almost right next to him. He startled but regained composure quickly. "Miss Bennet." He could not think of what to say next. How should he broach the subject? How can he ignore the faint scent of lavender coming from her hair? It threatened to undo him.

"Mr. Darcy." She looked into his eyes and saw that he was agitated. He was clearly distraught to be doing this. Why is he willing to put his pride aside to tell his story about Wickham? Before she knew what she was saying, she thanked him for being willing to talk to her. It was enough to spur him into speech.

"I am guessing Mr. Wickham told you that his father was my late father's steward, that he grew up with me almost like brothers, that we attended Cambridge together. He was a favorite with most of the other men there and was favored also by my own father. Then, after my father passed away, we had a falling out, and I refused him the living at Kympton even though it was my father's dying wish. Am I correct?"

Elizabeth could only nod, confused at the accuracy of his tale. Surely it must be true if he can recount the full of it. He turned around and stared out at the dark gardens. She stared at him in wonder. He appeared to be turning his insides around to be in such a position. Clearly, he had never trusted someone before. After a long sigh and slight chuckle, he continued.

"It is the same tale everywhere he goes. He uses the Darcy name to buy credit when he relocates to a new town. The best of lies contain some truth. The late Mr. Wickham was an honorable man, and his son began his life _appearing_ to be just as honorable. After his father's death, my father supported him at Cambridge, but without the supervising eye of my father, he was no longer honorable. He trifled with more than one lady's affections, and I had to settle many of his gambling debts. I did not say anything to my father as I did not wish to upset him. His health was very poor in his last years. He passed away six months after I returned from Cambridge.

"After my father passed away, all communication between Wickham and me ceased, as he knew I was displeased with his way of life. When the living at Kympton came open a year later, I did not wish to give it to him, knowing his character. Faith has a very important role in my life, and I did not want someone like Wickham leading his flock. However, my respect for my father compelled me to notify him that the living had opened. When he came to see me, he indicated he had no interest in the clergy and would prefer to return to school to study law. Relieved, but not entirely trusting him, I gave him the value of the living instead. He used the three thousand pounds within a year and then returned to ask for the living, which I denied. I believe he still wants revenge on me for this, and takes pride in telling his stories to everyone he meets, especially when he finds someone … someone that I admire." He had not meant to say the last part. He looked back at her to see her reaction.

Darcy heard and saw Elizabeth gasp at his last statement. She stepped back and turned away to hide her blush. "I had no idea," she finally muttered.

He waited for her to regain her composure. Finally, she turned back to him. "I am thankful that you told me your story, but I do not understand why you choose to do so."

He sighed and looked out into the garden. He had already said too much. "I do not want you to get hurt." He looked at her again and saw that she was still looking away. "I know that I should not have said anything, but I could not bear the thought of your believing his lies. It leaves you very unprotected."

She did not respond for a long time."I am not attached to him, and while I did believe him, I do not anymore." She turned to see him looking intently at her. While his face was set, she could see that his eyes were smiling. It caused her to smile in return.

"We should not remain out here together. I would not want people to talk. Go in first, and I will follow later." His hauteur was back. Clearly, he was used to giving orders and expecting them to be obeyed immediately. Thankfully, she was relieved to be returning inside now.

She turned to walk toward the doors but stopped as she felt his hand on her arm. "Mr. Darcy, I agree that we should not remain out here. Thank you for telling me what you did, but I need time to think about all that you have said."

"Miss Bennet, I do not wish for my history to become generally known. I do not want my family name to be tarnished. My sister comes out soon, and she is already shy in company. I simply wish to protect you and your family."

When she nodded, he released her arm and watched her step back inside. He remained outside for another half-hour, trying to decide what his next step should be. Mr. Bingley needed to return to London tomorrow, and he had been saying that he would accompany him. Now, the thought of leaving was unpleasant. He knew that he could not pursue Miss Elizabeth. He needed to think of the reputation of his sister. Marrying below his station would make her coming out harder for her to bear.

Thinking of Georgiana, he decided to return to London tomorrow to see how she was recovering and to attempt to get over his infatuation with Elizabeth. Instead of returning to the ballroom, he decided to retire for the night. His dreams were pleasant as he could not help but dream of Elizabeth's one day gracing the halls of Pemberley as his wife.

Elizabeth spent the rest of the evening either sitting by herself in a corner or walking outside to avoid having to converse with others. Mr. Collins appeared to be looking for her at every turn, but, fortunately, he failed to look outside, so that was her favorite refuge. He never asked her to dance again but would sit with her when he could. Thankfully, Mary and Charlotte were solicitous of his attention, so Elizabeth was able to escape for at least a few moments at a time when she was caught by him.


	4. The Morning After

Chapter 3: The Morning After

The Bennet family returned home near dawn. Mrs. Bennet was eager to be the last to leave to give Jane the most opportunities to spend time with Mr. Bingley. Elizabeth was exhausted, but too lost in thought to attempt to sleep. She dressed for walking and quietly stepped out while everyone else was in bed.

As the sun was just up, she decided to go to Oakham Mount, hoping the beauty of the sunrise would help calm her nerves. Mr. Wickham had lied to her! But even stranger was the fact that Mr. Darcy was justified in his actions toward Mr. Wickham. And Mr. Darcy admired her! It was all too much to comprehend. Elizabeth had thought that Mr. Darcy only looked at her to see a blemish. Apparently, that was not the reason at all that he looked at her so frequently. Charlotte's perception was correct and the thought of admitting to her the truth made her smile as she was climbing the hill.

She continued in her musings until she spotted a horse tied off in the path ahead. Someone else was enjoying her retreat! By the looks of the immaculately groomed horse and expensive saddle, it must be someone of fashion. Thinking it likely one of Sir William Lucas' sons, she smiled and continued. She stopped suddenly when she saw a tall gentleman standing on the ridge as she turned a corner. _Mr. Darcy!_

He was not facing her, but was looking out over the valley instead. Even fully attired in his riding outfit, she marveled at his strong shoulders and form. Afraid of being caught, she turned around to leave. It would not do for them to be alone together, especially if he had feelings for her. Unfortunately, she stepped on a twig during her retreat, and the snap brought Mr. Darcy out of his reverie.

"Miss Bennet!"

Elizabeth stopped and turned around. Seeing his shocked expression caused her to smile. She curtseyed and said, "I did not expect to find company on my walk. I am sorry if I disturbed you."

It took him a while to realize that she was teasing him with her smile. "While you may have disturbed me, it does not follow that the disturbance is unwelcome." He smiled at her. "Do you often walk here? It must be five miles at least!"

"It is just under five miles, and you already know me to be an excellent walker!" _And if you think I will stop coming here because you find me intolerable, you are mistaken!_

"Yes." He looked at her with one of those unreadable expressions that always unnerved her. She looked out over the valley, confused._ One minute his look criticizes me, and the other he seems to admire me. Complicated man!_

"It is a beautiful view, and it always helps me gather my thoughts, not to mention it keeps me out of the house for a few hours of peace." Her first thought running through her mind was that she should not need to justify herself to him. She had a right to walk where she liked.

"I can imagine that would be a necessity, but surely today it would not be too noisy. According to the servants at Netherfield, your family left only two hours ago. I would imagine that most of your family would sleep in today." _Which is why I had to exercise my horse: to banish thoughts of you in your bed._

"You are correct. I needed to settle my thoughts." She continued in her mind, _Mr. Collins was ever present during the ball, and I was unable to be truly alone until I returned home. As I did not want to startle anyone, slipping out for a walk was more agreeable than pacing my room_. Realizing he was still looking at her, she continued. "Mr. Darcy, there is one thing which I still do not understand. Last night, you implied that you admire me. At the assembly ball, not two months ago, you stated that I was barely tolerable and not handsome enough to tempt you. You never appeared pleased with anything during all of our interactions. What changed?"

During her speech, he turned to face the view again. When she had done, he took a deep breath to calm himself. He did not expect her indifference to him. It was a blow to his pride that he would never admit. "Nothing changed. While I was at the assembly, I was not in good humor. I had just had a letter from my sister that indicated she was unhappy. I should not have gone out that night, except that if I had stayed home, I worried that Miss Bingley would have stayed with me to keep me company. The thought of being alone with her was enough to make me go to the ball.

"I did not realize you could hear my remark to Bingley. I had not even seen you properly when I made that remark. I simply wanted him to leave me to my thoughts. I have never been easy in company I am unfamiliar with. I do not know how to appear interested in the concerns of strangers. Since Mr. Bingley is so easy in company, I usually leave it to him to make new acquaintances, and I may continue the acquaintance later. I apologize if I made you uneasy at the assembly. I certainly find you more than tolerable." He paused, and smiled at her blush. "In fact, I can truthfully state that no other woman has your beauty nor your clever wit. I have very much enjoyed our interactions these past weeks."

Blushing more than ever, she looked away again_. His smiles were so disarming!_ "Thank you. I must say that your insult fueled my dislike of you so much that when I met Mr. Wickham, I was more than willing to believe his story against you. Now, I don't know what to think. I am ashamed I let my feelings rule my judgment. My father often said that he did not like how Mr. Wickham was so willing to tell his tale upon our first meeting."

For a while, Darcy did not speak, and he started pacing over the path. Her indifference for him was nothing to the thought that she hated him, and he had just given away the truth of his feelings for her. _No woman has ever spurned a chance to catch a Darcy of Pemberley. _Realizing the danger of his thoughts, he decided a change of subject was needed. After all, he knew he could never act on his feelings. "Perhaps I should speak with your father about Mr. Wickham. Then, he could take appropriate action to protect the shops and villagers from Mr. Wickham. Do you think he would listen to my explanation and be discreet?"

"I hardly know if he would even listen to you." She paused. "Your refusal to dance with his favorite daughter has colored his opinion of you. You can be assured of his discretion, at least. He does not like to talk to people, especially when it is clear gossip."

"I wish I could take back my behavior and the things I said. I imagine it is the talk of Meryton."

Elizabeth laughed at the thought of Mr. Darcy worrying about being the talk of Meryton. "It is, but it will die down as soon as there is another scandal. There is too much going on for a simple country town to dwell on past events." Realizing that she was uncomfortable with the idea of a scandal, and knowing that he esteemed her, she needed to change the subject. "Is Mr. Bingley to travel to town today? Miss Bingley mentioned that he was leaving soon. Are you planning on joining him?"

"His plans are to travel this afternoon. I am eager to see my sister again, so I will travel with him." Thankful that she wished to change the subject, he continued. He wanted to ensure that she knew he had no designs on her. "It is likely that I will spend Christmas in town. Then, I need to travel to Pemberley to prepare for the spring planting. I do not know when Mr. Bingley or I may return." He paused, realizing he was about to ask if she would welcome his return. He knew he could not return if he was so besotted with her after so short an acquaintance. Thinking retreat was his best option, he walked over and untied his horse, then turned to Elizabeth. "I believe it is time for me to return to Netherfield. Shall we?" He gestured towards the path that led towards Netherfield and Longbourn.

When she nodded, he offered her his arm, and she accepted. When her hand touched his arm, she could feel the heat radiating from him. She felt lightheaded and had to hold on tighter than normal. This affected him more than he thought it would. After a few moments, he decided to add a safe conversation to distract his thoughts. "Do you have any plans to travel for the holidays?"

Elizabeth had been thinking about how Mr. Bingley's absence would affect her family, and she almost missed Mr. Darcy's addressing her again. Thankfully, her quick mind came to her rescue, and she was able to respond. "No, I believe that my aunt and uncle from London will visit us." She looked to him to see if he remembered that she had relatives in trade. His frown showed that he remembered her low connections.

"Do you enjoy their company?" Darcy was not sure he wanted to know the answer.

"Yes. My Uncle Gardiner is a very respectable tradesman, and they have four very energetic children that love to play. I prefer them to come in the summer when we play games out of doors, but they enjoy listening to stories by the fire as well."

They continued in silence for a while, until he could not refrain from finding out more about her preferences. "And what stories do you tell them?"

"Sometimes I read to them from the books in my father's library, but they prefer it when I make up my own stories of knights and dragons or fairies and goblins." She paused when he chuckled under his breath. "Do I surprise you?"

"You never fail to surprise me. You are unlike any woman I have ever met and likely ever will meet." He paused, realizing his error. Looking for an escape, he saw that he was close to where the path split to go toward Netherfield. "I should go. Thank you for listening to me last night and for your company this morning." He bowed, and turned to leave, but before he left, added, "Mr. Bingley and I will wait on your family before we leave, as I would like a chance to speak with your father."

With that, he jumped onto his horse and sped toward Netherfield. She looked after him for a while, still uncertain of the gentleman. Even if he did admire her, he was clearly uncomfortable in her presence. Finally, she turned and continued on her way.


	5. Two Proposals

Chapter 4: Two Proposals

Elizabeth quietly entered the house and paused to ascertain the state of the other members of the household. The only sounds appeared to be of the servants preparing breakfast in the kitchens. She walked over to her father's study and found the door ajar, meaning that he also had not yet risen. She ascended the stairs and quietly slipped into her room. It was too late to sleep, so she walked over to the window seat and picked up her book. As it was one she had read before, she could read it without paying attention to the story.

Mr. Darcy admired her, but clearly he struggled with his admiration. He was never calm when in her presence. Her merits were not enough for him to consider courtship or especially marriage, as her situation was so low. Through no fault of her own, she had lost the most eligible bachelor she will probably ever know. She did not love him, but his intelligence made him admirable. He was not very good at carrying conversations, but Elizabeth had been witness to enough incessant chatter with her family to not desire more. Her final thought was that Mr. Darcy was already planning on coming over today to speak with her father, and Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy would leave for London, perhaps forever.

Movement in the bed interrupted her thoughts before she could decide if she wanted Mr. Darcy to stay away or return soon, and Jane rose from the bed before Elizabeth could even get out of her seat. Jane quickly walked over to the window seat and embraced her sister.

"Good morning! I thought you would be the first to wake, but with your walking shoes on, I must assume you never slept."

Elizabeth could not help laughing. "You are correct Jane. I met Mr. Darcy on my walk this morning, and now I have no idea what to think about anything. Jane, I must tell you everything. He and Mr. Bingley are coming to say goodbye before they leave for London today." With the introduction started, Elizabeth proceeded to tell Jane about both conversations. Jane quietly listened, but she fidgeted with her hands in agitation. She had never believed anyone could be so deceitful as Mr. Wickham appeared to be. They talked quietly for two hours, until the rest of the house began to stir.

Suddenly, there was a commotion downstairs. Mrs. Bennet came tumbling into the room and grabbed Elizabeth by the wrist to pull her to stand up. "Lizzy, make haste! You are needed downstairs. Mr. Collins would like a private audience with you!" Looking at Elizabeth's dress, she quickly added, "Why are you in your walking clothes? You cannot be thinking of walking today. Make haste! Change into something pretty! Hill! Hill! Where is Hill?" With that she fled the room in search of Mrs. Hill.

Elizabeth went to her wardrobe to change, but she was so distraught she could hardly see her clothes. "Jane, what shall I do? I cannot go talk to Mr. Collins after all that I have been through! Surely he knows I would not want to marry him! I could never be happy with him."

"Lizzy, you must be calm. You need not agree to marry him, but please be patient with him, as he will inherit the estate." Jane walked to the closet and picked out a modest dress that looked pretty enough to pass her mother's scruples, while not encouraging Mr. Collins. "Here, this one will look nice. Now, put it on before she returns and picks out another that she deems more suitable."

With a chuckle, Lizzy grabbed the dress and began to change. After a few moments, the sound of a carriage could be heard coming up the drive, and Jane looked out to see who it could be. "Mr. Bingley has come!" She returned to help Elizabeth with her hair. "At least now your conversation with Mr. Collins will be delayed!" They laughed for a few moments before becoming serious again.

"Well, let's get this over with!" Elizabeth stated before stepping out the door of her room. She paused at the top of the stairs and saw Mr. Darcy enter her father's study. She gasped as she realized how handsome and tall he was. She remembered herself as Jane walked past her, eager to see Mr. Bingley. They could hear Mrs. Bennet loudly thanking Mr. Bingley for the marvelous ball and expressing her wishes that the event may be often repeated in the future.

As they entered the parlor, Jane took a seat next to Mr. Bingley, while Elizabeth chose to sit next to her mother, who immediately got up to allow room for Mr. Collins. Disappointed that he had already chosen another seat, Mrs. Bennet came up with another plan.

"It looks to be a marvelous morning! The gardens must look marvelous this time of the morning. Elizabeth and Jane had been talking of going for a walk this morning."

Jane, taking the hint, replied, "Mr. Bingley, would you allow me to show you the gardens?" Mr. Bingley immediately replied in the affirmative, and they left smiling.

Unfortunately, Mr. Collins had also taken the hint. "My dear Miss Elizabeth, the garden would be an excellent way to enjoy nature. My exalted patroness, Lady de Bourgh, always says that it does the heart good to take a walk in the morning. Would you do me the honor of walking out with me?"

Without agreeing, Elizabeth stood up and went to get her bonnet. _How can I get out of this? Surely Jane would not abandon me. _She hurried to try to catch up to Jane, but they were already out the door. _How can Jane do this to me?_

Outside, Mr. Collins took her arm and led her to a bench, just a short distance from the windows of Mr. Bennet's study. He offered her a seat on the bench and sat down next to her. He immediately began his proposal, though it took some fifteen minutes to actually get to the point. Elizabeth blushed as she considered the absurdity. Unfortunately, Mr. Collins regarded that as assent and began speaking as if they were betrothed before she had even had time to respond. He even grabbed her hand and attempted to kiss it, but she pulled it away at the last minute. When he started to speak of going to speak to her father, she found her voice.

"Mr. Collins! You forget, I have not given an answer! Let me do so at once!" She paused for breath, and to calm her nerves. It would not do to insult him, as Jane had said. "I thank you for your gracious offer, but I must decline. I am convinced I am the last person who could make you happy, and you could _never_ make me happy."

"I have heard this is the practice of elegant females to refuse an offer in order to increase their admirers' affection by prolonging the suspense. I must, therefore, beg your leave to go talk to your father, who will certainly sanction my offer, and this will be settled." After another quarter of an hour spent extolling the virtues of his patroness and himself, he walked away, and Elizabeth sighed with relief. One thing she knew, Mr. Bennet would not force her to marry him!

She immediately rose and walked in the direction of Jane and Mr. Bingley, hoping to escape her mother's attention. With Mr. Darcy in the study, Mr. Collins would have to wait to speak to him at any rate.

* * *

The conversation Mr. Darcy had begun with Mr. Bennet was going well. Mr. Bennet was not of a mind to believe Mr. Wickham's story, so understanding Mr. Darcy was easily done. What was weighing on Mr. Bennet's mind, however, was another matter entirely. He had heard Mr. Darcy did not care for his Lizzy and was surprised to see them dancing last night.

"Mr. Darcy, first I must thank you for telling me. I will make inquiries in town to see if his debts are large and encourage the shopkeepers to complain if they are. With only being here for less than a month, he cannot have done much damage." He paused as a look of relief passed Mr. Darcy's eyes. _Did he actually think that I would not listen to_ _him?_ "But there is one thing I do not understand: why did you tell me? Certainly, you simply could have stayed silent, and not much damage would have been done."

Mr. Darcy shifted uncomfortably. "That would have been easier, but not honorable. Mr. Wickham is a conniving cheat. Knowing what he is capable of, I could not rest after I heard from Miss Elizabeth that Meryton viewed him in a favorable light." He paused, wondering if he should continue.

"What does my daughter have to do with this? I know you dislike her, yet you danced with her last night, and apparently you saw fit to share this history with her."

"I assure you I do not dislike her." Mr. Darcy rose and walked over to the window, unsure of himself. He felt awkward discussing his reasons for acting the way he did, and he still did not know how deeply he felt about Elizabeth. "When I danced with Miss Elizabeth last night, I found out that she believed Wickham's lies. Knowing that he is a seducer as well as a liar and a gambler, I wanted to warn her not to believe him, so I spoke with her after the dance. After doing so, I realized I should also talk to you, as you are in a better position to protect the shops of Meryton."

"Mr. Darcy, what are your intentions toward my daughter? You must have seen that this is not an ordinary ballroom discussion to be having with a young lady."

Darcy flinched, realizing he had been cornered into declaring himself. "And your daughter is not an ordinary lady. She has caught my attention even though she clearly dislikes me." he paused. "I have no designs on your daughter at present, given her connections and the exuberant nature of her mother and sisters, but I do admire her. I am to leave for London to spend the holidays with my sister. I do not know if I will ever return to Hertfordshire. That is why I chose to speak to you today."

Mr. Bennet, not entirely surprised that his wife would be the downfall of his elder daughter's prospects, walked over to the window to join Mr. Darcy in looking out the window, and noticed Mr. Collins sitting down next to Elizabeth. Chuckling, he said, "It seems that my cousin has finally come to the point at last."

Darcy gasped as he realized that Mr. Collins was proposing. "Surely, she would not accept him?" He had not thought that she would accept someone else. The idea of her with another man disturbed him, and he could not repress a shudder at the thought of the life he would never have with her. Then he thought of the life she would have as Mrs. Collins and neighbor to his aunt. Suddenly, his resolve to forget her began to waver, not for the first time.

Not knowing the depth of Mr. Darcy's struggles, Mr. Bennet knew she would never accept Mr. Collins, but he could not help teasing when such a case presented itself. "He has a good living, and it would mean she would inherit Longbourn when I die."

"But he is an idiot!" Mr. Darcy paused to calm himself. "My apologies. I should not have said that."

"Apology accepted. I guess we will see if she accepts him in a few moments. But I do not think it right that you watch them. After all, this is a private matter."

Darcy walked over and sat back down in his chair, unable to ignore the window. Without thinking, he spoke. "I love her, but my station requires that my wife be of high society. I have my sister's reputation to consider as well as my own."

Startled by Mr. Darcy's declaration, Mr. Bennet could not respond immediately. "Is this why you say you have no designs on her? You think society would shun you?" He paused, and then added, "You strike me as the sort of fellow who would not care what the _ton_ would say. You never seemed to think of other's opinions while I have seen you in public."

Mr. Darcy scowled at the thought of being seen in such an unfavorable light. He had never had to justify his actions before. "You are right. If not for my sister, I would not worry about the _ton_. But they can be cruel and heartless, and she is innocent."

"Your care is commendable. But, would your sister want you to make such a sacrifice for her?"

Darcy was about to respond, but he then saw the moment when Mr. Collins took Elizabeth's hand. He gasped, "Good God!" The next instant, they saw Elizabeth reclaim her hand and speak to Mr. Collins, who then started talking again and, after a long monologue, left her alone in the garden.

Mr. Bennet chuckled, "It appears you were right. She seems to have refused him."

Darcy released a breath he had not realized he had been holding. "Mr. Bennet, when I return to Hertfordshire after the holidays, may I call on Miss Elizabeth?"

"I thought you meant to stay away."

"I do not think that is possible."

"Ask me again when you return. That way, no one expects anything. If your admiration lasts through the holidays, then we will see. I expect that Mr. Collins wishes to speak to me, so you will have to excuse me. Thank you for your company."

"Thank you, Mr. Bennet." With that, Mr. Darcy left the house in search of Mr. Bingley.

* * *

When Darcy walked outside, he saw Jane and Elizabeth in a tight embrace, both laughing and smiling. Mr. Bingley was behind them, watching their sisterly affection with a big grin on his face. _He must have proposed!_ Mr. Darcy walked over to the group, and the sisters split apart when they saw Mr. Darcy approach. Jane curtseyed in acknowledgement of his presence, but Elizabeth blushed and looked away. _Why should she be shy? Does she think I will not approve? At least no one is congratulating her on _her_ engagement!_

Mr. Bingley spoke first. "Darcy, I'm engaged! What say you?"

"Congratulations!" Darcy shook his hand. He also turned to Jane to wish her congratulations as well, but before he could turn to Elizabeth, a screech came out of the house.

"Lizzy!" Mrs. Bennet could be easily heard as she ran out the side door. Realizing that in the absence of Mr. Bennet, Mr. Collins must have gone to tell Mrs. Bennet that he needed her help to convince Lizzy to marry him, Elizabeth quickly left the group and tried to catch up to her mother before the rest of the group could hear their conversation. Alas, it was not to be. Mrs. Bennet came out quickly and, without looking to see if others were near, began again, "Ungrateful child! You have frightened him off! We could have stayed in this house when your father died if not for you! Go back now and say you have changed your mind!"

Elizabeth took a quick breath and whispered in hopes of calming her mother's nerves or, at least, in hopes of her lowering her voice. "No. I will not change my mind; please do not worry. Jane and Mr. Bingley are just behind me, and they have news they wish to share, but first Mr. Bingley must talk to Papa."

Mrs. Bennet looked behind Elizabeth and saw the others coming towards them. While Elizabeth's words were lost on Mrs. Bennet, she did not wish to frighten Mr. Bingley away.

"Oh! Mr. Bingley! How wonderful of you to visit today." She bowed to Mr. Bingley, who bowed in return. Elizabeth repeated her words that he wished to speak to Mr. Bennet, and finally, Mrs. Bennet listened.

"Mr. Bennet will be vastly happy to speak with you as soon as he is done speaking to Mr. Collins. There is an urgent matter needing his attention." Turning, she saw a white faced Mr. Darcy also in the group, but she did not realize what had upset him so. Thinking still that he disliked her daughters, she could not prevent a rude tone in her voice from escaping. "Mr. Darcy, you are welcome here too. Would you care to come in and have some refreshments?" While she did not like him, she knew that if he left, he would take Mr. Bingley away as well.

"Thank you." In a few long strides, he caught up to Elizabeth and offered her his hand and escorted her inside, while Mr. Bingley escorted Jane. Elizabeth sat down in a chair, unsure of what was happening around her. After her talk with Mr. Collins, and knowing Mr. Darcy had spoken with her father, she would have preferred to be alone to order her thoughts. Her mother was clearly ecstatic about Jane, but would that prevent her displeasure over Mr. Collins? And what was Mr. Darcy thinking now? Surely, if he disliked her mother's behavior before now, this morning's display would reduce her standing with him even more. Yet he had escorted her inside and was sitting next to her! _It was all too much!_

Mr. Darcy was fidgeting with his cuffs, trying to calm his anger. He could not decide if he was angrier at Mr. Bennet's mention of Mr. Collins being a good match for Elizabeth or at Mrs. Bennet's behavior towards Elizabeth for refusing him. _Surely, Mr. Bennet had been teasing him._ The entire neighborhood described Elizabeth as the favorite daughter of Mr. Bennet. His anger shifted towards the latter cause of distress. _How could Mrs. Bennet not realize the distress she was causing her own daughter? At any rate, how could she insist Elizabeth marry such a man as Mr. Collins, even to save the family?_ One thing was clear: Miss Elizabeth was not mercenary and would not marry simply to secure her future. He tried to shift his thoughts away from the lady next to him and noticed Jane smiling at Mr. Bingley. _How could I have thought that she does not care from him? Miss Bennet is as radiant as the spring, and as happy as Bingley. Clearly, she is not mercenary either. How could two such charming ladies have grown up with such a mother?_

These thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Charlotte Lucas, coming to invite the family to a dinner at her house. Elizabeth, glad of the distraction, rose and welcomed Charlotte warmly as they moved to a part of the room where they could talk in private. Lost in conversation, they did not hear the study door open. They startled when Mr. Collins acknowledged to the room that he would not stay another day in that house after Elizabeth's refusal of his hand. Charlotte, not knowing much about the situation, recovered first and offered to let him stay at her house for the remainder of his visit. He accepted graciously, and left to pack his bags.

Mrs. Bennet immediately went to her husband's study to talk to him. Thankfully for Elizabeth, Mr. Bennet refused to make her marry Mr. Collins, despite her mother's continued insistence. As Mrs. Bennet forgot to close the door, two of the occupants of the parlor listened in horror to the entire conversation. Elizabeth could hardly breathe as she stared at her hands in her lap. Mr. Darcy silently cursed his inability to discuss trivialities. Mr. Bingley was too wrapped up in staring at Jane to notice the tension in the room, and Jane was likewise occupied.

Finally, Mrs. Bennet declared herself ill and immediately went upstairs to her rooms. Mr. Bingley, who had been lost in his own thoughts of his angel, saw his opportunity and went into Mr. Bennet's study to request permission to marry Jane. The discussion was short, and both removed from the study to make the announcement that Bingley and Jane would marry at the end of March.

Once the commotion died down, Mr. Darcy said that it was time for them to take their leave. Jane and Elizabeth escorted them to their carriage. Jane stepped off to the side with Bingley to share a tender moment, but Elizabeth walked with Mr. Darcy directly to the carriage. Mr. Darcy bowed to Elizabeth. Before he could stop himself, he took her hand and kissed it gently. "I will return after the holiday, and I hope I may call on you then."

Blushing, Elizabeth turned away. "Very well," was all she could say. She quickly went back up the steps and waited for Jane to finish saying goodbye, as Mr. Darcy climbed into the carriage. Mr. Bingley finally climbed into the carriage, and Jane followed her sister up the steps. Inside, they split up. Jane returned to the parlor, but Elizabeth, too exhausted to continue conversing with her family, went up to her room. On her way up the stairs, she passed Mr. Collins coming down. He looked at her and said, "My patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, would be displeased to hear of a woman of no fortune who disregarded a proposal that is so well suited to her."

"She will have to bear her own displeasure, as I wish for more than a suitable marriage of convenience." Elizabeth retorted, then remembering her sister's admonition to be pleasant, added, "Have a safe journey, and please say hello to the inhabitants of Lucas Lodge for me."

* * *

In the carriage, Bingley was too ecstatic with his good fortune not to talk about his lovely fiancé. Darcy listened but rarely responded. After two hours, Bingley finally realized his partner was disturbed. "What ails you, Darcy? You are more pensive than usual. Are you upset with my choice of wife? I know you always said a gentleman would not wish for her connections, but I am too in love to care what society will think of me. They will either accept her or not."

Mr. Darcy turned out the window, relieved that the reason for his distress was not apparent. "I am pensive because you will not let me get a word in edgewise. I am very happy for you, and I know that you deserve your happiness. You have been a great friend to me, and I always hoped you would marry a partner who loves you. I believe you have found her."

"But you seem unhappy?"

"I am just wishing I could be as happy as you. I need to spend Christmas in Town, but may I visit you after the new year?" He paused as he thought of missing Christmas with Elizabeth. "And may I bring Georgiana? She is not out yet and, therefore, cannot enjoy the London season."

"You need never ask. I would love to see Miss Darcy again, but I will not tarry in town as my angel awaits me in Hertfordshire! I have already told her that I will return in a week." Bingley paused and noted his friend's sour face. "What of my Jane's sister, Miss Elizabeth? I know you danced with her last night and could not take your eyes off her this morning. Should I be wishing you congratulations as well?"

Darcy considered how he should respond. Deciding that Bingley deserved the truth, he replied, "No. Her father refused to hear me on that subject until I return. They still believe what I said at the assembly, that I found Eliz…Miss Elizabeth not handsome enough to tempt me. I cannot believe I said that so loudly for everyone to hear. Now, she thinks ill of me, and I will have to work to win her hand, if I choose to do so."

"Surely, if you let her get to know you, then she will not be able to help liking you. You have been such a great friend to me. She seemed to enjoy challenging you at Netherfield when she was nursing dear Jane, and she will enjoy challenging you in the future."

"I can only hope. Bingley, I am tired, so I think I will try to get some rest now." Darcy lied. He was not tired, simply not comfortable talking about his feelings or the woman he loved. He closed his eyes and turned his head away from Bingley. Bingley took the hint and remained silent, but he could not help the occasional sigh or chuckle escape him as he thought of his future.


	6. last chance to read on this website

Hello to all of my faithful readers. I have sent the book for publishing, and it is now available on the Amazon Kindle books website. I am also working on publishing it to Nook. We will see where that goes.

Title: Honor, Pride, and Prejudice

Author: Lorraine Hetschel

I have also started a face-book page, if you would like to keep in touch with any updates on the sale of this book, or any future books. Simply search for the name of the book, and you should find it.

I have removed the later chapters. My apologies for any inconvenience. If you have enjoyed the book, then I encourage you to buy it.

Thank you for sticking with me through this amazing process. I could not have done it without you.

LoriH


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